Why Calling Women “Sluts” Hurts Everyone

Last year, a former friend called me a “whore who ruined her chances at happiness” on Facebook. A few months later, someone else accused me of “screwing around” and claimed I was “going to screw my life up” after I went on a dinner date with my boyfriend. These situations are only two examples of the innumerable times I have become a victim of the ubiquitously accepted and grossly insulting practice of slut-shaming.

Slut-shaming occurs when a source attempts to elicit feelings of inferiority or remorse when attacking a woman’s perceived or actual sexual behavior or feelings. Sources might include friends of any gender, family members, other respected adults, classmates, coworkers, and even pop-culture or the media.

When people and media endeavor to evoke feelings of inadequacy, such sources try to convince a victim that she lacks the purported maturity, emotional stability, intelligence, physical strength or je ne sais pas necessary to make any informed decisions concerning one of her most private and basic needs – sex. This is not okay. Those who call a woman a “slut,” “whore,” or comparable pejorative suggest that woman, when left to her own devices, behaves in a sexual manner deemed socially unacceptable; furthermore, women described as “sluts,” “whores,” and the like need outside guidance, ranging from better familial role models to government regulation, to conform successfully to societal norms.

The use of slut-shaming to imply women require outsiders’ guidance signifies the existence of a salient problem: slut-shaming promotes an oppressive male hegemony. Think about it this way: The only people who provide women with an outsiders’ perspective on sex are those who are not women, also known as men (shocking, right?). If men remain the only people on the planet with a solid-enough grasp on society to dictate when, how, and with whom women acceptably might partake in one of the most intimate and personal acts of her life, women surely cannot be trusted to make decisions that more obviously affect others.

Well, it’s time to wake up. Many of a woman’s decisions make a much greater impact on society than her choice to engage in or avoid sexual relations. For example, when a woman decided to vote for Mitt Romney or Barack Obama this past November, she influenced the ultimate outcome of the United States’ presidential race and the potential for the country to encourage specific diplomatic, economic, and political actions. Even when a woman chose to shop at an organic farmer’s market instead of Wal-Mart, she made a significant contribution to society by promoting small and sustainable farming practices while simultaneously condemning commercial crops.

If only men retain the ability to make decisions regarding women’s sex lives– and, as an outgrowth of such constraints, prohibit women from making more important choices that influence more people – women ultimately become powerless objects. They would lack both control over their own lives and the ability to contribute to greater society. That would, umm, sort of be a waste of half the potential workforce, not to mention be a permanent sexist insult against all women ever.

In addition, slut-shaming encourages women to base their self-image on labels created by others. When someone calls a woman a slut, that woman might begin to consider herself a slut. She might think, “Well, if he says I am a slut, then I must be one.” Other females might use a rumored “slutty” woman as yardstick to define themselves a “slut,” “whore,” or “prude.” Once a woman adopts or rejects such a label, she might attempt to meet the expectations associated with her newfound reputation. That woman might begin behaving in risky and promiscuous ways she heretofore avoided or she might abstain from sexual practices she once considered safe, fulfilling, and enjoyable to convince others to define her the same way she labels herself.

Women who try to maintain or reject a label oftentimes behave in a stereotypical fashion that restricts personal exploration or growth. For instance, women who are afraid of being perceived as “slutty” might be too afraid to explore what makes them feel good sexually via such currently taboo practices as masturbation, oral, or anal sex. These women, likewise, might be too worried about their reputation to assert themselves in the bedroom and, consequently, they might lack the ability to achieve sexual satisfaction. Conversely, women who proudly repossess labels like “slut” might use sexual relations subconsciously as a tool for validation rather than empowerment and independence.

To prevent the negative consequences of slut-shaming, we first must stop this infuriating and degrading practice. Women need to lead by example and stop using sexualized labels to demean our friends, our enemies, and ourselves. That’s right. I told you to stop calling that obnoxious girl with the big teeth in your Spanish class a whore because she slept with your ex-boyfriend. You’re too good for him, anyway. You also need to lay off greeting your BFF as “super-slut” before she starts thinking she is one.

In addition, we need to educate others about the conspicuous harms that can stem from such a berating practice. When we hear colleagues or classmates participate in such a practice, we need to ask them to stop using such terminology and explain why it’s problematic.

Moreover, we must reject media, which is regularly considered the best litmus test of social norms, when it suggests women should be defined on the basis of our sexual choices rather than our myriad abilities. Lastly, we need to encourage our little sisters, the girls we babysit, and the young ladies we teach or coach to reject stereotypical labeling. We must instead provide these future women with different labels like “female,” “athlete,” “artist,” and “musician” they can use to define themselves as strong, powerful, unique, and equal to men and protect themselves from a society that describes them simply creatures with sexually deceptive, overactive, or underactive appetites.

I really love this. I’ve becomes very sensitive to this issue lately, and since then I’ve been noticing it in a LOT more places. It just took a little more observation to realize just how pervasive sexism really is in our society today, and how hard people are trying to validate it, by calling us prudes and the like when we question those behaviors. I call it out when I see it now. It’s a disgrace to all of us!

http://twitter.com/hexprax Christin

Dude this is a MESS. Why write an article about slut-shaming, purportedly an issue of another person placing value judgments on a woman’s sexuality, and then go and assert some nonsense about how women who call themselves “sluts” are probably seeking “validation”? That’s LITERALLY slut-shaming. And then go onto include some dumb nonsense making a hypothetical girl’s appearance (“big teeth”) an implied object of ridicule? Not to mention the fact that you are “college educated” has no bearing on the fact that you can make choices about your sexuality–and including that reads CLASSIST AS FUCK. Y’all need to get a grip on this website.

http://www.facebook.com/shesbenevolent Kate Wright

A slut shaming article that includes slut shaming. Another gem from feminspire.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1259002819 Hallie Cenogens

You guys aren’t getting it. The article is describing what is called “Distorted Thinking” which occurs in several different ways. One of the ways distorted thinking manifests is when a person is told by someone else that they are a “slut,” they will think to themselves “If so-and-so says I’m a slut, I MUST be a slut.”

paul pogos

I agree with Kate on the comment below me.

man

as a man i really don’t get how slut shaming started. who does it benefit? it certainly doesn’t benefit the man, it just makes it harder for us to get something we all want at some point in our lives (i.e. sex with women).

anyway, the point is women and men should be free to have sex with who they choose without having to feel dirty about it. sex is great and life is short.

David

You know, this is something that has bothered me as a man. To me, the opposite sex is beautiful and liberal use of words like “slut” and “whore” seem to cheapen relationships for everyone.

That being said, I was with you until this sentence:
‘Those who call a woman a “slut,” “whore,” or comparable pejorative suggest that woman, when left to her own devices, behaves in a sexual manner deemed socially unacceptable; furthermore, women described as “sluts,” “whores,” and the like need outside guidance, ranging from better familial role models to government regulation, to conform successfully to societal norms.’

As men, we’ve had this message drilled into us by society (and especially by some “radical” feminists) for my entire life. Our sexual urges and needs aren’t welcome – we need to put a damper on them lest we be seen as “socially unacceptable”. Honestly, this makes me think that a lot of the guys who talk that way about women are just taking out their frustration about a perceived inequality: how it’s seems that it’s easier for a woman to go out and sleep with whomever she wants to without any (short term) consequences (that they see of). For most guys, it seems a large investment, and so they get cynical when some girls seem to have it so easy (of course, that’s perception based – they never get the entire picture).

Personally, I think we’re all just wrapped up too much in our own little worlds and expectations that we have a hard time connecting intimately with one another. There are 15 million different ways to interpret everything, and without shared understanding, people will come to all kinds of totally separate conclusions which will further break down communication between them.

This is an awesome article, I believe. I’m in 8th grade and I’m trying to show my friends (especially the guys) why slut shaming is wrong. May I add the are totally unreasonable and hard headed, but none the less I changed some of their points of view and I’m glad I have found this article to back me up very well written!